Whois

The internet whois database will allow you to find out the registrant of any domain name. This tool is especially useful when transferring your domain name, as you need to know the registrant contact email address and whether or not the domain name is listed as "locked".

If your domain is locked, it cannot be transferred, unless you login to your current registrar and "unlock" first. If your registrar has listed themselves as the registrant email address, you need to contact them to update the email address and check by performing a whois search, that your email address has been updated.

Whois AU

Click here to find out information about who the registrar and registrant are for Australian domain names. Australian domain names end in .au and can usually only be registered by Australian businesses, companies, organisations and government departments.

Type in the domain name with extension and you will get registration information for the Australian domain name that you have entered.

Whois for Global domains (ie. com, .net, .org, etc)

click here to find out the domain name information. You must put in the domain name extension in your whois search.

FAQS

The whois search says that my website developer is the registered owner of my domain name, what can I do?

Depending on the situation, you may have to request a change of legal ownership or have your registry records updated by your registrar. Transferring an AU domain name does not change the ABN/ACN or the original registrant name in the registry.

I have heard that you can get private domain name registrations. Do you recommend them to protect my personal information?

Private domain name registration means that the contact details listed for your domain are listed with a private company. If anything goes wrong, eg you cannot update your contact details to make them public again (ie in order to transfer out your domain name) or you miss a renewal notice because your contact details were listed as private and you try and get the matter sorted out, it is a lot of hassle to go through.

Also, as a business, people do like to know who they are dealing with and having a public record adds to your credibility as a business. A private listing, usually suggests that you have something to hide.